So Fairy Tail is one of my all time favourite animes, if not then my absolute favourite and I've been wanting to write something for it for a while and now here it is! This was actually a request from one of my friends, so this is dedicated to her. She knows who she is ;) Anyway, hope you all enjoy the story, it begins now!
"Aye Sir!"
"You're nothing more than a cowardly rat."
"You'll never make it in this world, it's gonna eat you up and spit you back out like the reject you are."
"Useless! Can't you do anything right you little brat?"
"I wish you'd never been born. You can't even defend yourself! You're no more use to us or our family than a drowned fish in a barrel."
"You're no daughter of mine."
The voices all rang in my mind as I took deep, even breaths. My honey toned eyed opened to look out over the city before me as it bathed in the glorious light of the sunset, cloaked in rich gold and silky tones of amber also as it rested peacefully in the cradle of the hills with the glittering sea resting far behind it.
In this light the water moved with a subtle softness with the sparkling light adding a more insistent vibrancy that simply took my breath away, from the sea to the river that cut through the city with a large breadth. It had taken me an entire four months to get here, but still it felt like it had only been a simple breath and step to reach this point.
It had taken a lot of courage, but I had made it. I had escaped the hell that I had left behind me and there was no chance that I will be going back. My sights are set on something better, something that will hopefully lead me to a better life away from what I had known previously.
I cannot dwell on the past. It will only restrain and torture me further. I have to be strong and move on now, even though I'm frightened. The prospect of an entirely new life in a new city terrifies me as I will be completely independent for the first time in my life. Though most of my nightmares still remain with me as well as my own demons, I still cannot imagine a better path for me than the one that I am walking now.
Turning away from the rise overlooking the city I continued to walk, struggling for breath slightly as my bare feet touched the gritty road. Every fibre of my body ached and my stomach was howling so loud I was sure it would draw wild animals to me in flocks but I pressed on, ignoring the discomfort as I followed the path that would lead me into the city.
My fingers curled into the walking stick that I leaned dependently on, using it to support my weight as my feet found softer ground and I realised with a start that I was entering the city and its cobbled stone streets. I was here! Finally, now is my chance to finally disappear from the world I left behind me. My family will never think to look for me here, less so in the place that I'm planning on staying.
In this world, people can use magic and we call those people wizards. They can be extremely powerful and undertake dangerous missions to help those in Earth Land. My entire family were wizards and had even formed their own Guild, however they were not pure hearted people. They were poisonous and deceptive, some of the fiercest and most dangerous wizards ever known to exist. The Morning Spears. An assassination guild.
That kind of guild was illegal, of course, but my family had such a fierce reputation that none dared to oppose them and they were so secretive that none had ever even discovered our mansion and base of all operations.
They had tried to turn me into one of them, into a cold blooded killer, but I just couldn't do it. I could not take a life as heartlessly as my siblings or even my father did. He used to tell us creepy bedtime stories about how he used to bathe us in the blood of his victims, draining them dry and taking it home to strengthen us ourselves, to become immune to blood in every way possible. I had scrubbed myself clean for days after hearing that for the first time, as I knew my father well enough to know that he was not lying.
The city was so peaceful, it had a warm glow about it that I just could not help but smile at. I took a deep breath of the salty air and allowed it to cleanse and soothe my beating heart as I continued to fumble forwards. I knew I drew a few curious stares but I simply ducked my head again and shuffled on, hiding my face under the long raven locks of my hair. Sure, my clothes had seen better days and I must look a mess, but don't they know it's rude to stare? I don't like so many people looking at me.
As I walked I felt a certain magical presence close to me and it made me stop and lift my head, drawing in a deep breath through my nose to smell the air. I separated the scents of baking bread, flickering fires and warm homely smoke rising from the chimneys to find a certain static energy that tasted…pure. Pure and…clean. Very clean. I know it doesn't make any sense, but it's very hard to describe really. It was certainly misplaced and I could not quite pinpoint the type of magic, however I now had the location.
I looked up ahead and to my left to the opposite side of the street just a few paces in front of me to see a guy leaning against the wall, his hands shoved deep into the pockets of his green jacket with a fur lined hood. The rest of him was cast in shadow, however I saw a glinting reflection of glasses from amongst the shadows as they were shifted further back up the bridge of the magic wielder's nose before all at once they disappeared.
A slight shudder tickled down my spine but I thrust the sensation away and continued forwards. The city was soon huge that I found myself wandering rather aimlessly, so I stopped a sweet smelling flower shop and asked for directions to the Guild Hall of one of the most famous guilds of all time. My father hates their guts, which is why I was going to them. They were said to be all powerful, practically unbeatable and they worked on the ethics of family, loyalty and complete devotion to the guild. I wanted something like that, a family that I could trust to protect me and trusts me to protect them in return, although I'm not sure what good I'd be in a fight.
Even now under the numerous looks and stares I shivered, a small fear creeping into the back of my mind, implanted there by the ones I used to call family. The women I didn't mind so much, but the men? They frightened me. More than any kind of monster or beast, because in my experience, it was always men who delivered the worst punches.
A sharp sting flared in my head and I hissed, falling to my knees slightly but I shook my head, forcing myself to get a grip. I can't stop now, I'm so close. The lights of twilight were lit and the stars were looking radiant tonight. I must draw strength from them in order to complete this task I have set myself. I cannot falter now.
So with a fresh determination I stepped back up to my feet and steeled my nerves, ignoring every flinch of pain as I set my sights ahead of me. It took longer than I expected to cross the entire city, however by nightfall I stood at the gates of the Guild I had searched for all these months. Fairy Tail.
They were said to be the greatest, and I wanted to become stronger, so if there was any place that could teach me how to become the best that I can be, it's this place. Taking a deep breath I pressed my eyes shut and prayed upon the soul of my mother to give me strength, wishing she were right here beside me. Despite being seventeen years old, I wanted her there to hold my hand like she used to when I was little every time I was afraid. I was her last and only daughter, however her deep love and silent pride tore her away from me when she tried to…to shield me from him…no! Stop it, you cannot think about that anymore. It's done. There is nothing you can do to change what's happened. That's the end of it.
My hand clenched into a fist at my side though I knew my facial expression betrayed my terror, however I didn't care. I am going to join this guild, I'll do my best and then learn how to further myself to do better. That was I can become a true warrior and wizard, so no one can ever touch the ones I care about ever again.
Exhaling for the final time I stepped through the gates then slowly pushed open the wooden door. I had heard an instant murmur come from within, a warm atmosphere of conversation bubbling over softly as I slowly slipped inside, sticking my head in first with a slight tremble of my shoulders to see what it was like.
It looked quiet with various wizards, both men and women, sat at tables drinking from their tankards, though I was startled when I saw one woman actually drinking from a barrel and didn't look like she was going to stop any time soon. Shouldn't she drown if she drinks like that?
There was a slight sour smell in the air mixed with the musky scent of sweat and it instantly made me freeze in place, my eyes widening in fear as I realised just how many men were there inside. Get a hold of yourself, this is no time to back out now. Mom's counting on you.
Right. I can do this. So I gently and quietly slipped inside and touched a hand to my chest, feeling the hammering of my heart as I took a step forwards, however by this moment I drew the attention of everyone inside and they all stared at me as if I were a trespasser, which I technically was. Oh no, have I gone about this the wrong way? Will they kill me for stepping on their territory without permission?
The silence could be sliced with a knife and it caused me to freeze in place once more, shivering with a nervous squeak as my eyes widened to their fullest, petrified to the spot as many looks narrowed at me suspiciously, however a white haired girl of extraordinary beauty walked towards me wearing a modest maroon dress and a beautiful smile that warmed me to the core, effortlessly allowing me to relax as she approached. "Hello there! Welcome to Fairy Tail, is there something we can do for you?" She questioned me politely and I stumbled for words slightly, still staring up at her in slight awe. Can people really be this pretty? "My name is Mirajane Strauss, what about you?"
"Oh…I'm…I'm…" My stomach suddenly rumbled loudly, causing a deep blush to heat my cheeks as I clutched it tightly in an attempt to hide the noise. With the delicious smells of food wafting in from behind the bar, my mouth watered like a ravine and I couldn't even concentrate properly. It smelled so wonderful. "So…hungry…" My knees collapsed beneath me and I fell forwards however Mirajane was quick to catch me, gasping in shock as she lowered down to the floor and several chairs scraped back in concern with a murmur rippling through the onlookers.
I could barely keep my eyes open and I felt so cold, however as Mirajane touched my brow she exclaimed at its heat. How could I be hot? I'm so freezing. What I wouldn't give for some fire magic right now, or just a hot bath. I feel so yucky from travelling on foot for all this time, I'd barely even stopped for more than a day in any place in fear of followers. "You're feverish and you must be starving, you poor thing." Mirajane said to me as several faces crowded above me. "Don't you worry, you're going to be just fine." Her voice, it's so reassuring and soft, like a lullaby my mother used to sing to me as she combed my hair.
She had loved my hair. I remember how she would sit behind me on the bed as I played with my doll, combing or plaiting its own hair as she lovingly caressed mine. Hers had been a honey toned brown but she had constantly admired my own onyx tresses, as she called them. As deep as the onyx stone yet as glossy as silk. It was only that way because she kept it so well, these days it had lost its lustrous shine and was more of a deranged mess than straight hair.
I felt someone carrying me and by their strength, I could tell it was a guy however I was too weak to fight back and nor did I want to. I hoped that they weren't carrying my sorry rear back out onto the street, however Mirajane had sounded so reassuring, so I trusted her word that they weren't going to abandon me.
My back touched softness and in my blind murmurings, I felt someone begin to rub warm water onto my body, though I could hardly feel it. I was going numb and I was shivering like a thistle in the wind, the hairs on my arms standing bolt upright. Mom. I want my mom. I wish she was here right now, I need her so much. But I can't have her back. She was stolen from me, and I promise that one day I will avenge her. My father will pay for what he did that day.
Lights burst before my eyes and as the nightmares rolled in, I screamed.